At one time, bathrooms were much smaller and more… well… utilitarian. The name “water closet” pretty much let you know you were heading into a tiny room with a specific purpose, and not to expect much.

With changes in design and technology, not to mention homeowner mindset, the once humble bathroom has now become one of the three most remodeled rooms in the modern home. Construction Dive breaks down what’s different today, and why bathroom remodels have gone from basic to custom jobs.

Bathrooms are taking on new importance in the home, regardless of their number or size, and each can be designed to shine.

According to the Census Bureau, 48 percent of all remodeling jobs last year focused on the bathroom! And people are investing more heavily into those renovations. The average range for a bathroom remodel is between $5,564 and $13,219, with the average cost at $9,381.

The guest or other bathroom is slightly more likely to be remodeled first. Many homeowners tend to leave the master bath until last because it is most often only seen by people living in the home.

Kids’ bathrooms are less likely to be juvenile in design these days, with more people opting for a room that will grow with their children. With modern, neutral elements making the room timeless, the only changes required as children age would be painting or updated accessories.

Likewise, homeowners are learning to anticipate their requirements if they plan to age-in-place.

One example of a popular trend that can also accommodate a wheelchair or walker later on is eliminating the shower dam to offer unobstructed passage between the bathroom floor and shower floor…

Grab bars that double as towel holders and shower seats are also good options to age-proof the bathroom.

And for those wondering what happened to the Jack-and-Jill bathrooms of decades past, Bishop said today’s remodelers often choose to close off one door or even separate the area into two distinct bathrooms, if the space is large enough.

What new bathroom design trends have you noticed or become interested in? Let us know in the comments!

A bathroom remodel can be expensive if you aren’t careful, but you can make big changes without breaking the bank. We’ve got tips via Time.com (with images courtesy of Pinterest) to help you make smart choices.

National averages for bathroom renovation vary from $18,000 for a mid-range remodel to about $57,000 for an upscale job. When you sell you can only expect a 55-65 percent return on that investment, so spend wisely.

Work with the plumbing you’ve got.

Moving pipes to relocate plumbing fixtures will greatly increase the cost of your remodel. You can still change individual pieces, just stick to the original layout.

In a second-floor bathroom, that could save $200 to $500 on each fixture, says design-build contractor Mark Mackmiller of Eden Prairie, Minn., because you won’t have to pay to run new supply lines and drainpipes.

Everyone loves warm toes.

Heated floors are a great investment because they’re universally appreciated, and a programmable thermostat means warm floors are ready when you are.

Radiant heat adds about $500 to $1,000 to the bill, but it will make you feel warm all over.

Splurge smart.

To make your master bath luxurious – and efficient for two – splurge on key features. Dual sinks add $500 to $2,500 to the budget, in return for convenience and storage.

And a toilet room creates privacy while allowing the overall bathroom to be a truly shared space ($1,000 to $5,000).

At $2,000 to $8,000, trading a traditional bathtub/shower combination for a separate shower and soaking tub is an even bigger hit to the budget. It may also require interfering with the existing plumbing. Make sure you explore this option carefully.

And if you’re leaning toward natural stone surfaces, take a close look at porcelain tiles in stone-look finishes. The real thing will cost you an average of $500 to $1,500 more, and will need to be sealed.

Remodel the bath.

Don’t just replace your bath, revitalize it. Get an extra-deep reclining tub with seamless acrylic surround. Or convert it into a spacious shower. All in as little as one day, and all without breaking the bank.

Modern bathrooms, especially master bathrooms, are becoming ever bigger and more luxurious. But really, master bathrooms haven’t been around long at all, and their transformation to relaxing refuge has been even more recent.

The 1986 bathroom would bring back the grand indulgences of the Romans, who surrounded themselves with plush beauty during their ablutions. This elevation of the master bathroom from the “necessary room” as it was euphemistically called, to its reign as the cornerstone of the master suite, was such a rapid and recent development, that it is easy to take it for granted.

Indoor plumbing, and bathrooms themselves, haven’t changed much since the turn of the twentieth century when they became standard in new construction. Because this happened around the same time that the medical community began to understand germs and illness, the earliest bathrooms were designed to be easy to clean.

Through the 1940’s, homes had one bath. And rather than give a nod to convenience or size to make up for being a shared space, most were small and utilitarian. In the 1950’s there was a rush in electric gadgets and modern conveniences, a boom in housing, and advances in infrastructure which paved the way for the modern master bath.

These factors stuck with the American public, and the master bathroom took off, becoming standard on all new homes by 1980. However, these bathrooms were still rather modest. like the one [below from 1962 ad].

When the 80’s took hold, bathrooms changed with everything else. It was a decade of excess and extravagance, when everything from hairstyles to interior design grew literally and figuratively. And while the 80’s left us all with some embarrassing hair and clothes to look back on in old pictures, it gave us a push toward the relaxing refuge we enjoy today.

The story of the master bathroom was long in the making. A space we now deem a necessity is only around 36 years old.